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Best Friends (1X1)

Braendon walked in after them and looked around. It looked like an older couple lived there alright. There were various assundry knick-knacks, pictures of kids on the walls, everything clean, but not neat-freakish. A girl, also with nutty brown hair and green eyes, stuck her head out from a doorway. "Sup, Cuz?" she asked. Braendon smiled. "Hey Grace." he greeted. She walked out and looked at Leah. Grace was short, definetly shorter than Leah. She looked like she could be younger, too. "Ah, this must be your girlfriend~♥" she asked, grinning wider. He flushed scarlet and waved his hand. "No no no! Just my friend. Best friend, but friend." She sighed. "Pity."

Leah looked around the house smiling, it was definatly a couple's house, it was cute. A girl shorter than Leah walked out and said hello to Braendon. When she asked if she was his girlfriend, Leah blushed a bright pink. She knew that they were nothing more than friends, and it would always be that way, but still she was disappointed when Braendon said she was just a friend. Leah stuck out a hand and said, "Hi I'm Leah."

Grace smiled and took Leah's hand. "Grace." she said, shaking her hand. "Oh, Braendon! Guess what?" she said excitedly. He shook his head. "What?" She grinned and said, "I went to go see Aeryn a few days ago, and there were these total psychos there! One looked like a vampire and was called Wulf, and the other was some dude in chainmail (?) called Hatchet, and they were totally trying to kill me!" Braendon snorted. "Yeah, okay." It was hard to take anything Grace said seriously. She was the Lying Queen when they were kids, and it hasn't changed too much since. "Oh, I think Dad was there on buisiness. Did he stop by?" he asked, just remembering. She got a confused look on her face and shook her head. "No, he didn't." She looked at her feet. "At least, not when I wasn't there."

The feeling was growing back in Leah's stomach, but she quickly stopped it. Surely this girl wasn't dangerous, at least Leah hoped. "What are you talking about?" Leah asked, vampires? Hatchet? Braendon's dad? Why did Grace sundenly go quiet at the metion of her uncle? Leah's phone rang again and she looked at the number. With a sigh she said, "Sorry guys, I have to take this." Leah went to the door, trying to hide the new tremble in her hands. It wasn't about who was calling this time though. It was what they were calling about.

((It might be a long conversation, so I'm going to make another post.))

Leah opened her phone and heard his voice. "Why did you not pick your phone up?! Well? Tell me now."
"I was with Braendon, and well, I didn't want to be ordered around."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know better than that. And you know whats waiting back here. He is getting impaitient." LEah bit her lip glancing at Braendon. Him and Grace would only be able to pick up that she was ordered around at home so far.
"I really can't - "
"Oh yes you can. Are you really going to sacrifice him for some time with your boyfriend?"
"He's not my boyfriend! Alright, I'll come."
"I don't believe you. Come home now." The man hung up and the feeling in Leah's stomah trippled.
Talking to Grace and Braendon, she said quickly, "Sorry, urgent bussiness at home, got to go." Leah ran out the door and started to sprint home, accindently leaving her phone.

"Alright, bye then." Braendon replied, watching her run off. He turned to see Grace with a goofy grin on her face. "You like her~♪" He blushed wildly. "No I don't!" she jumped up and pinched his cheeks. "Yes you do! I'm older than you, so I have more expierience." It was hard for others to believe, but Grace was indeed older than him by five years. She didn't look it, and certainly didn't act it. This was evidenced by the fact that she started to make kissing sounds and sing, "Braendon and Leah, sittin' in a tree..." He sighed. "I have a load of homework to do right now, but I'll be back to see you again. Is that okay, Aunt Wendy?" She smiled and nodded. "And if Grace is still here when you come back, I'll keep her under control." He smiled and left, immediately heading for his house. He loved Grace like a sister, but she could be too much to handle some times.

Leah ran home and despite her breathing getting heavier, she ran faster. In almost no time she got home and causiously opened the door to the entrance hall. It was painted a cheery yellow and pink checkered, but was oddly void of pictures. A little bit of paint was torn if you knew where to look. Leah gulped and walked into the living room, and straight to her little brother on the floor. A male voice said behind her, "Well, well well, look who decided to show up." LEah got up and turned trying to punch him but he simply held her wrists.

Braendon walked home and went to his room. His mom was out at the bakery that she co-owns with Aunt Wendy, and his dad was still out of town on buisiness. He flopped on his bed and sighed. He took off his hat, letting the cooped up hair flow down to his chin. "I wonder what's going on with Leah right now..." he mumbled.

"Stop." The man whispered in her ear. Leah stopped but glared at him. He didn't dropped her wrists either. Leah growled at him, "Let me go!" Those few words had more meaning behind them than the obvious. The man compiled but moved between her and her brother. Leah's expression turned pained. "Why do you do it? You know I'll always do as you want." The man grined and flicked her ear, saying, "I enjoy it, as if you thought you could ever break it, then I'd still have you under my finger." He oved aside and Leah rushed to her brother. the man said, "We need to have a nice little chat."

Braendon sighed and sat up. "Might as well get along with that sucky pile of homework." he said. He trudged over and sat in his desk chair. "First, English." He tried to concentrate on his textbook, but caught himself thinking about Leah. He sighed and tried to shake off the thoughts. "I'm a dork." he mumbled, "Completely and utterly."

Leah checked her brother's pluse, normal. He just seemed to be out cold. The man left the room and saying, "Follow." Leah stood up reluctantly and followed him. The man went out into the garden and sat on the bench swing. Leah had no choice but to sit very close to him on the bench, which he smiled about. "I hear you haven't been quite so - ah how shall I put this? - you haven't been quite on top of the task I gave you." Leah shuddered, which of corse he could feel consitering how close she was. "You may move away." He told her whcih sent Leah standing across the garden from him. "Leah I won't force you. But keep your brother in mind." Leah nodded with tears in her eyes and the man vanished.

Leah ran back into the living room, where her dad was now checking her brother. Pushing him away Leah bent over her brother, giving him a hug. She sat up and tears brimed her eyes. Leah watched as her brother woke up slowly. "Gavin..." She said trembling. Gavin sat up and reasured her that he was okay. Then her dad said, "Go off now Leah, Gavin is fine." Leah ran up to her room and cryed. Feeling her phone buzz, she checked it and laughed at the question. She texted back, Yea, loads of homework, yuck. Leah pulled out her homework and started to work on it sighing. This was a normal afternoon for her.

Braendon's phone buzzed. He looked at the message and grinned. He texted back, "Let me know if you need any help. I'm working my way through it myself." He pressed send and smiled. "Aww, love-sick puppy~♪" cooed a voice from the open window. He jumped back to see Grace sitting on the roof. "How did you get up there?!!" he yelled.

Leah picked up her phone and looked at the message. She grinned, texting back, Nah, I haven't even started it yet I was She paused, unsure of what to tell him. Biting her lip, she earased the message and typed, Nah, I'm okay. "Aw, even after I was totured, you're still texting your boyfriend." Leah spun around to see Gavin, his black hair toussled standing in the doorway. "You haven't told him have you?" Gavin asked Leah. She frowned, "No of corse not, do you think I'm stupid?"

Braendon's phone buzzed. Grace grinned evilly. "I bet that's her." she said. He grabbed his phone before she could. He turned and read it. "Aw, come on!" she groaned, "I just wanna see!" He whipped around to face her. "Aeryn called me, and she said you pulled stuff like this before you came here! You tried to peep in on her roommate while she was changing and...and..."

Gavin rolled his eyes. "Well the way you act around him..." Leah frowned at him and nudged him with her ellbow. Gavin's eyes went wide and he held his side. Leah bit her lip and hugged him carefuly. Gavin, losing his tough boy look, leanned against her with a sigh. Leah sometimes forgot he was eight and without a mother, he always was so mature and independent. "I'll do it soon, don't worry..." Leah murrmered.

Grace waved Braendon off. Oh, hush. You know I wouldn't pull anything on a minor, dude. I ain't a lolicon." He looked at his cousin, who, while older thab him, looked like she could pass off as fourteen. He thought about saying something, but knew full well that she'd slap him upside the head.

Leah and Gavin went to the dinner table their dad served them the small amount of food they could afford. Of corse their dad's was slightly larger. Leah's dad said, "You better do it soon Leah." Leah sighed and nodded.

"Hey, I'm hungry." said Grace, rubbing her stomach, "You got any food?" Braendon massaged the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Why aren't you eating with Aunt Wendy?" She sighed and said, "Well, I told her I wanted to go out to eat, but I decided to come bother you instead." Braendon gestured to the door. "There's food in the fridge. Heat it up and we'll both eat. Mom's gonna be late again." She hopped inside and ran out of the door. He rubbed his entire face and huffed, "Why me?" He composed himself and headed to the kitchen.